Vacuum milking system



Oct. 17, 1950 5. J. ERLING 2,526,212

VACUUM MILKI'NG SYSTEM Filed April 10, 1947 [K II N VE N TOR Sven Johan Erh'ng ATTORNEYS 7 Patented a. 17, 1950 rm OFFICE VACUUM MILKING SYSTEM Sven gohan Erling, Nockeby, Sweden, .assiginor to Aktiebolaget Separator, Stockholm, Sweden, a corporation of Sweden Application April 10, 1947, Seria'I'No. 740,567

" In Sweden May 10, 1946 This invention relates to vacuum tems and has particular reference to anovel arrangement by which the pneumatic pipe line of the system may be used to. supply either subatmosphericpressurefor operating the milkin units or super-atmospheric pressure for operating a different apparatus, without requiring a pumping means otherthan the usualvacuum' pump of the milkin installation.

milker units. This feature is of particular importance as it enables the use of super-atmospheric pressure-operated apparatus at various locations near the milker pipe line extending through the barn, without requiring additional piping in the barn.

milking sys- 1- Claim. (01. 119 83) For a better understanding of the invention, reference'may be had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic :view of a milking system constructed in accordance with the invention, showing the controlvalve in position for vacuurn milking, and;

Fig. '2 is a similar view showing the control valve in position for operating an apparatus from Pneumatic milkin units are generally opthe 'pipe line under super-atmospheric pressure. .erated from a sub-atmospheric pressure line Referring to the drawing, the milkingsystem (vacuumfl line). The milking system, there- I comprises a vacuum pump I, a pipe 2 connected fore, includes-a vacuum pump which; when it 7 at one end tothe' air outlet from the pump, and is driven, draws air from the pipe line to'which a pipe 3 connected at one end to the air inlet the milking units are connected, so as to provide to the pump, The opposite end of each of the in the pipe line the degree of vacuum necessary pipes 2- and 3 is connected to a control device in to operate th units. the form of a four-way valve 4 having a rotor Where these milking systems are used, it is and a stator 4 the latter bein p o d With frequently. desired to operate pneumatic lmaports 4, 4 4 and 4 leading to the rotor chamchines other than the milking units, for. eX b a ppr ma ely 90 intervals. The rotor ample, currying apparatus. However, some types 4 has diametrically opposed, peripheral recesses of pneumatic machines are operable only by 4 and 4 each of which extends over an arc super-atmospheric pressure, so that'the usual somewhat greater than 90s0 that it can con- I vacuum line would not be suitable for such mameet a pair of adjacent ports in the stator to the h p exclusionof the other ports. 1

The present invention is directed to theme The pipes 2 and 3 are connected to the 'di-- vision of a vacuum milking system in which the ametrically opposed ports 4 and 4, respectiveacuum pipe fine may also be used to supp1y 1y, inthe stator, as by means Of suitable adaptsuper-atmospheric pressure to apparatus other ers. Thus; th -port 4 serves as an air intake than the milker units, the system being easily adp t a d the pp t p 4 s rv s as an air justable for either vacuum or super-atmospheric escape port for the valve; The other ports 4 operation fromg, singl pump. and i in turn, are connected respectively to the According to the invention, the milking operapipe line 5 of the milking system and a pipe 6 tion is performed with the .air inlet to the vaccommunicating with atmosphere. It will be unu m pump on t d t th pipe lin of th derstood that the pipe line 5 extends through milking system While the pump outl t i conthe barn and is provided at intervals with stall nected to atmosphere, and the currying or other COCKS, Such as the 600k y ea of wh c operation requiring super-atmospheric pressure a milking unit 1 may be connected to the lin is performed with the pump inlet connected to at the desired locations. atmosphere while the outlet is connected to the 4 In the operation of the system, when it is depipe line. The system comprises a four-Way consired to use the milker unit 1, the valve rotor trol valve connected between the vacuum pump t is moved'to the position shown in Fig. l, whereand the pipe line and having two positions, one in the ports 4 and M are interconnected through for vacuum operation of the milker units and recess i and the ports 4 and 4 are intercontheother for super-atmospheric operation of the nected through recess 4 Accordingly, when the currying device or other apparatus. Thus, not pump I is driven, air will be evacuated from the only does the milker vacuum pump provide the pipe line 5 through ports 4d and p p the necessary pneumatic pressure for such other ap-" pump, pipe 2, ports 4 and 4 and pipe 6 t the paratus, but also the latter pressure is supplied atmosphere. The pipe line 5 will therefore u through thesame pipe line which serves the ply the ess -a o ph ric pressur for operating the milking unit I.

Wen it is desired to use an apparatus requiring super-atmospheric pressure, such as a currying device 8, the valve rotor 1 is moved to the position shown in Fig.2, thereby connecting the' port 4 to port 4 and the port 4 to port 4 In this position of the valve, when the pump I is driven, air will be forced into the pipe line 5 from the atmosphere through pipe 6, ports M and 4 pipe 3, the pump, pipe 2 and ports 4 and 4 Consequently, the pump I will now act as a compressor to supply by way of the pipe line 5 the necessary super-atmospheric pressure for the currying device 8. The latter may be connected to one of the stall cocks 5a at the desired location and operated in the usual manner.

It will be apparent that I have provided a milking system which is extremely flexible in that it may be readily conditioned for either a vacuum milking operation of super-atmospheric operation of a secondary apparatus through the same pneumatic pipe line, by adjustment of valve 4.

Also, milking systems of the type commonly used can, by a simple modification, be arranged in accordance with the invention 50 that their field of utility is considerably extended.

I claim:

In combination, a vacuum milker pipe line, a stall cock in said pipe line and connectible to a vacuum milker unit, a pressure currying device releasably connected to the stall cook, a vacuum pump having an air inlet and an air outlet, a valve stator having an atmospheric port, an air escape port connected to the pump inlet, an air intake port connected to the pump outlet,

and a fourth port connected to said pipe line, and a valve rotor havin recesses in the stator connectin said atmospheric port to said escape port and connecting said air intake port to said fourth port, to operate said device under superatmospheric pressure from the pump outlet through the pipe line, said rotor being operable, upon rotation of the rotor, to connect said atmospheric port to said air intake port and connect said escape port to said fourth port, to create a vacuum in said pipe line for operation of the milker unit.

SVEN JOI-IAN ERLING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Germany June 18, 1917 

